Memorabilia display case with media capability

ABSTRACT

A memorabilia display case includes a portion designed to hold and display an article of memorabilia and a portion configured to output media related to the memorabilia. One example of such a display case includes a mount for holding a jersey, ball, or other sports memorabilia as well as a display screen and speakers for playing a video clip of the team, player, and/or event related to the displayed memorabilia.

BACKGROUND

This invention relates generally to display cases for holding memorabilia, such as sports memorabilia, and in particular to display cases with the capability to present additional media related to the memorabilia while displaying the memorabilia.

Display cases for memorabilia are designed to house various types of items. For example, sports fans often put sporting equipment and/or apparel associated with their favorite teams in display cases. Types of sports memorabilia that are often found in display cases include balls, bats, clubs, pucks, helmets, shoes, jerseys, photographs, ticket stubs, programs, and any other items that have a connection to a sports team, sporting event, or athlete.

But memorabilia is by no means limited to the arena of sports. In other contexts, graduates put their diplomas and certificates on display, often in simple frames, but sometimes mounted in a case with other objects. Yet other display cases are configured to hold pictures, cards, writings, or other types of documents for a wide variety of purposes. The uses for display cases for holding memorabilia are thus limited only by the creativity of the individual, as any among a vast number of objects or portions thereof may be suitable for mounting in a display case.

In part because the types of memorabilia contained within display cases can vary widely, the corresponding display cases have been designed to take various forms, shapes, and sizes to fit each particular type of memorabilia article. The mode of display also factors into the design of the display case. Some display cases are designed to be mounted on walls, whereas other display cases may simply rest on a flat surface, such as a desk or bookcase.

But even with the great variety of designs for display cases holding various types of memorabilia, the content that can be presented along with the memorabilia is limited. Although these display cases may include pictures, writing, and/or other indicia related to the memorabilia item, they still just present static information. As digital media increasingly dominates all aspects of life, people have come to expect more interesting visual displays as well as greater access to information. Existing display cases simply fail to meet these needs, in part, because these designs have not taken advantage of technical advances that have made consumer electronics cheaper, more accessible, and easier to incorporate into products.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Improving upon previous display case systems, a memorabilia display case includes a portion designed to hold and display an article of memorabilia and a portion configured to output media related to the memorabilia. One example of such a display case includes a mount for holding a jersey, ball, or other sports memorabilia as well as a display screen and/or speakers for playing a video clip of the team, player, and/or event related to the displayed memorabilia. Other examples of display cases hold various other types of memorabilia, such as documents (e.g., cards, photographs, diplomas, and the like) and/or other objects of interest.

In one embodiment of the invention, a display case comprises a housing and an interface that holds an article of memorabilia within the housing in a way that the memorabilia can be viewed. The display case further comprises a video processor for receiving video data and producing a video signal therefrom. The video data may include motion video, a series of video frames displayed as a slideshow, or a just single video frame. Moreover, the video data may be obtained in various ways, such as from a storage device within the display case, a drive that receives a storage medium, a wired or wireless interface, or any other suitable source. These video data are used by a video display system within the housing to generate a video signal, which is shown on a display screen of the video display system. The video is related to the memorabilia, thereby enhancing a viewer's appreciation of the memorabilia. In another embodiment, other types of media data can be provided, including music files and other audio, which may or may not be related to the memorabilia.

The features and advantages described in this summary and the following detailed description are not all-inclusive. Many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims hereof.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a display case, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the display case shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic of a media system for a display case, in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.

The figures depict various embodiments of the present invention for purposes of illustration only. One skilled in the art will readily recognize from the following discussion that alternative embodiments of the structures and methods illustrated herein may be employed without departing from the principles of the invention described herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 is a front view of a memorabilia display case 100 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same case 100. The case 100 may be adapted for hanging on a wall or otherwise against a flat vertical surface. An interface 105 portion of the display case 100 is configured to hold a memorabilia article 110. The type of interface 105 used may depend on the type of memorabilia 110 for which the display case 100 is designed. For example, the jersey 110 in the display case 100 shown in FIG. 1 is held by a set of clips 105; however, it will be appreciated that a variety of structures may be used to facilitate the interface 105 for holding a variety of different types of memorabilia 110.

Because the display case 100 is for showing the memorabilia 110, the memorabilia 110 is viewable from outside the case 100. However, the case 100 may protect the memorabilia 110 using a transparent shield (such as glass or clear plastic), and may even cover the memorabilia 110 with a door that opens to allow viewing of the article 110. In one embodiment, the case 100 includes a lighting system 11 to facilitate viewing of the memorabilia 110. Various configurations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the article 110 is a jersey for a sports team; however, the article 110 may be any other type of memorabilia article 110 suitable for display in a case 100. The memorabilia article 110 may be in a particular field, such as sports. In sports, the article 110 may be sporting equipment, clothing, pictures, trophies, awards, balls, bats, clubs, pucks, helmets, shoes, jerseys, photographs, ticket stubs, programs, or any other items related to a sport, sports team, sporting event, and/or athlete. Alternatively, the memorabilia 110 may be personal in nature, related to one's achievements. Such items include diplomas, certificates, awards, pictures, cards, writings, or other types of documents or other objects of a wide variety. The case 100 may also be designed for historical memorabilia or other types of objects. It can be appreciated that the invention is not limited to any particular type of memorabilia 110.

The display case 100 further includes a display screen 120 configured to display video data thereon. The video data may include motion video, a series of video frames displayed as a slideshow, a single video frame, or video data in any other desired format. The video displayed on the display screen 120 is preferably related to the memorabilia article 110 in the case 100. In this way, the display case 100 provides additional information related to the memorabilia 110 that enhances a viewer's appreciation and enjoyment of the memorabilia 110. For example, if the article of memorabilia 110 is a sports jersey for a particular athlete, the display screen 120 may play a motion video of highlights from a game that include the athlete or a slideshow of pictures of that athlete. For other types of memorabilia 110, the display screen 120 can be configured to display other types of video that is relevant to that memorabilia 110.

The display screen 120 may comprise any suitable type of display for viewing the related media. Many display technologies exist, and the invention is not limited to any particular type of display system. In one embodiment, the display screen 120 comprises a LCD screen, which may have touch screen capability. However, other types of display systems may be used. For example, a front or rear projector may be configured to project video onto the screen 120. In one embodiment that incorporates a projector, a projector projects the video image onto a portion of a transparent covering that covers the memorabilia 110, which serves as the display screen 120. For example, the glass or other transparent covering through which the memorabilia 110 is viewed may also serve as the screen 110 for the video display. This may be accomplished by frosting an area the glass or otherwise making the glass suitable for having an image projected thereupon. This projection can be made from either in front of or behind the glass, depending on the configuration of the display case 100.

The display case 100 may further include a set of controls 125 that allow a viewer to adjust the video being displayed on the display screen 120. By way of example, these controls 125 may include controls for turning the display screen 120 on and off, pausing and playing the video, and changing the input video signal. Other controls 125 may also be included. Rather than being a separate physical interface, the controls 125 may be implemented on the display screen 120 if the screen 120 is a touch screen display.

In one embodiment, the display case 100 further includes a speaker system 130 for playing an audio signal. The audio signal may be an audio track associated with the video data being played on the display screen 120. Alternatively, the audio may be selected by the viewer independently of the video, such as music.

FIG. 3 is a schematic drawing of a display system for playing the video on the display screen 120, as described above. The display system may include a variety of components in different combinations, depending on the desired operation of the memorabilia display case 100. Accordingly, FIG. 3 illustrates several alternative mechanisms for obtaining the relevant video data and playing it on the display screen 120. Implementations of the display system may include portions of the system illustrated and/or additional components as desired.

The display screen 120 is coupled to a video processor 310, which is configured to process video data into a video signal that can be displayed by the display screen 120. The processor 310 may be a processor for a general purpose computer that is programmed for this purpose, or it may be an ASIC specifically designed for the video processing functionality. The processor 310 may be coupled to a memory 315, such as RAM, for general operation of the processor 310. The memory 315, which may be static or persistent, may also be used to store the video data before it is processed by the processor 310.

If the display case 100 includes controls 125, the processor 310 may further be coupled to the controls 125 to receive user inputs therefrom. As described above, user inputs made via the controls 125 may be used to affect the video displays on the screen 120. Accordingly, the processor 310 receives a control signal from the controls 125 and uses that control signal to change the video signal sent to the screen 120 for display.

In an embodiment of the case 100 that includes speakers 130, the processor 310 may also be coupled to provide the audio signal to the speakers 130. This audio signal from the processor 310 may be amplified before sent to the speakers 130.

The display case 100 may be designed to receive the video data from any among a wide variety of sources. The sources may be integrated within the display case 100, or they may be external sources that are in communication with the display system of the memorabilia display case 100. The wide variety of possible sources for the vide data reflects the many types of technologies for storing and transferring media, any of which may be incorporated into an embodiment of the display case 100.

In one embodiment, the source comprises an input port 320 for receiving the video data from. In operation, the input port 320 receives the video data from an external source and provides that video data to the processor 310. A number of standard interfaces exist that allow transfer of media, including USB, IEEE 1394, Ethernet, and many others. The input port 320 can be configured according to any one of these standard interfaces, or it may be designed with a special proprietary interface. Beneficially, standard interfaces enable compatibility with more types of external sources. External sources that may be connected to the input port 320 include, without limitation, personal computers, portable media devices, and USB key drives. A user may connect the external source to the input port 320, and the video data could be processed by the processor 310 directly from the external sources or copied first to the memory 315 and then processed.

Alternatively, the display case 100 may receive the video data via a wireless transceiver 325. Avoiding wired connections to external sources may be advantageous for display cases 100, for which aesthetics is a concern. The wireless transceiver 325 enables wireless communication with an external source according to any of a variety of communication protocols. Many standard wireless communication standards exist. For example, the wireless transceiver 325 may be configured to communicate according to the 802.11x or Bluetooth standards, although any appropriate wireless communication means may be used. Other wireless technologies include infrared communications.

The 802.11x wireless standard is commonly used in the home and in businesses to provide a wireless local area network. Since personal computers are often coupled to local area networks, the personal computer may be an excellent source for the video data. In one embodiment, therefore, a user serves the video data from a personal computer over a wireless local area network. The personal computer may include software for selecting and controlling the video content that is displayed on the screen 120.

Rather than receive the video data from an external source, the display case 100 may include an internal drive 330 for receiving and storing the video data. The drive 330 may be a hard disk drive or may be adapted to receive a storage medium, such as a CD, DVD, computer disk, flash card, or any other type of static storage medium that may contain video data. The drive 330 is in communication with the processor 310, which reads the video data from the storage medium within the drive 330 and processes the data to produce the video signal for the display screen 120.

As shown in the drawings, the display case 100 is specially configured to hold and display a specific type of memorabilia 110—a sporting jersey. Persons of skill in the art will appreciate that many variations can be made to the case 100 without departing from the scope of the invention. Due to the wide variety in the types of memorabilia 110 that may be housed in different embodiments of the invention, the corresponding structure of the case 100 may likewise vary to match the memorabilia 110 being displayed therein. Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to that particular configuration, shape, layout, and type illustrated in the drawings.

The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purpose of illustration; it is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Persons skilled in the relevant art can appreciate that many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto. 

1. A display case comprising: a housing; an interface for holding an article of memorabilia within the housing so that the memorabilia is viewable from outside the housing, wherein the article of memorabilia comprises an article of sporting equipment; a video processor for receiving video data and producing a video signal therefrom; and a video display system mechanically coupled to the housing and in communication with the video processor for receiving the video signal therefrom, the video display system configured to play the video signal.
 2. The display case of claim 1, wherein the article of memorabilia comprises an article of sporting equipment selected from the group consisting of: a jersey, an article of clothing, a shoe, and a helmet.
 3. The display case of claim 1, wherein the article of memorabilia comprises an article of sporting equipment selected from the group consisting of: a ball, a puck, a bat, and a club.
 4. (canceled)
 5. The display case of claim 1, wherein the video processor is configured to receive a plurality of pictures from a video data source and display the plurality of pictures in a slideshow on the video display system.
 6. The display case of claim 1, further comprising: an audio output interface for playing audio related to the video signal.
 7. The display case of claim 1, further comprising: a video input interface coupled to the video processor for providing the video data thereto.
 8. The display case of claim 7, wherein the video input interface is configured to receive the video data via a wireless network.
 9. The display case of claim 7, wherein the video input interface comprises an input port for receiving the video data from an external storage device over a wired connection.
 10. The display case of claim 7, wherein the video input interface is adapted to couple to a local area network for receiving the video data therefrom.
 11. The display case of claim 1, further comprising: a storage drive mounted within the housing and coupled to the video processor for providing the video data thereto, the storage drive adapted to receive and access a storage medium containing the video data.
 12. The display case of claim 11, wherein the storage drive is a DVD drive.
 13. The display case of claim 11, wherein the storage drive is adapted to receive a flash memory device.
 14. The display case of claim 1, further comprising: controls for changing the video signal played on the video display system.
 15. The display case of claim 1, wherein the housing is configured to be mounted on a wall.
 16. The display case of claim 1, wherein the video data includes one or more music files.
 17. A memorabilia display case comprising: a housing having a visible chamber formed therein, wherein the chamber has a height and a width that define a window through which the chamber is visible, and wherein the chamber further has a depth projecting through the window into the housing in which a three-dimensional object can be mounted; an article of sporting equipment mounted within the chamber of the housing so that the sporting equipment is viewable from outside the housing through the window of the chamber; a storage medium containing video images related to the article of sports memorabilia; and a display configured to display the video images.
 18. (canceled)
 19. The memorabilia display case of claim 17, wherein the display case comprises a frame that is adapted to mount to a wall.
 20. A display case comprising: means for displaying an article of memorabilia, the article of memorabilia comprising an article of sports memorabilia selected from a group consisting of: a jersey, an article of clothing, a shoe, a helmet, a ball, a puck, a bat, a club, and a trophy; means for receiving media data related to the article of memorabilia; and means for displaying the received media data.
 21. The display case of claim 1, wherein the interface for holding an article of memorabilia is mounted within a chamber formed in the housing, and wherein the chamber has a depth projecting into the display case in which a three-dimensional object can be placed.
 22. The memorabilia display case of claim 17, wherein the article of sports memorabilia comprises an article of sporting equipment selected from a group consisting of: a jersey, an article of clothing, a shoe, a helmet, a ball, a puck, a bat, and a club. 